Once Upon a House
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DETAILS
Artist:
Lise Melhorn-Boe
Press: Transformer Press
Document Type: Pop-up Book
Category: With Video
Date: 1998
Dimensions: 22 x 28 cm
Call Number: N 7433.4 M522 A6 O58 1998
Video:
Direct Video Link
Notes:
The artist literally invites us into her childhood home through this book. Pictures of the front and back of her childhood home are pasted onto the covers of the book. As we turn the pages we discover that the book is composed of family pictures, pop-up constructions of various rooms of the house, and a “once upon a time” narrative that describes the evolution of the artist’s family during their time in this particular house. The use of pop-ups encourages us not only to view the artist’s childhood home, but to interact with it, as we search for family pictures under staircases and behind doors. Though we might expect a “once upon a time” family narrative to take on a sentimental tone, the text remains dry, clever, and witty: “Kurt and Polly [the artist’s parents] were blessed with two more girl babies. Little Lise was not amused, but condescended to share her house.” We cannot help but feel grateful to the artist for providing us with this intimate, engaging, and funny depiction of her childhood home.
Text record edited by Silvia Russell at 2010-04-13 10:30:37
Press: Transformer Press
Document Type: Pop-up Book
Category: With Video
Date: 1998
Dimensions: 22 x 28 cm
Call Number: N 7433.4 M522 A6 O58 1998
Video:
Direct Video Link
Notes:
The artist literally invites us into her childhood home through this book. Pictures of the front and back of her childhood home are pasted onto the covers of the book. As we turn the pages we discover that the book is composed of family pictures, pop-up constructions of various rooms of the house, and a “once upon a time” narrative that describes the evolution of the artist’s family during their time in this particular house. The use of pop-ups encourages us not only to view the artist’s childhood home, but to interact with it, as we search for family pictures under staircases and behind doors. Though we might expect a “once upon a time” family narrative to take on a sentimental tone, the text remains dry, clever, and witty: “Kurt and Polly [the artist’s parents] were blessed with two more girl babies. Little Lise was not amused, but condescended to share her house.” We cannot help but feel grateful to the artist for providing us with this intimate, engaging, and funny depiction of her childhood home.
Text record edited by Silvia Russell at 2010-04-13 10:30:37
